Nature Reserves
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Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve Just an hour’s drive from Johannesburg and close to the historical town of Heidelberg, is Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, eco-playground for jaded urbanites.
Explore Suikerbosrand’s mountains, kloofs and plains on foot, mountain bike, or by vehicle. If cycling, hiking or driving around is not your thing, pack a picnic basket and enjoy the gorgeous views of the Suikerbosrand Mountains.
Suikerbosrand’s kloofs, ridges and plains support a large variety of plants, birds and animals. Predators prowling the large sanctuary include cheetah, brown hyena and other smaller species. Herbivores include baboon, zebra, oribi, eland, blesbok, springbok, red hartebeest, black wildebeest, kudu and mountain reedbuck, common duiker, grey duiker and steenbok.
Numerous hiking trails offer visitors to get a closer look at the diversity of plant and animal life. Trails vary from a short half-day route to a 6-day hike. The information centre at Diepkloof offers interesting slide or film shows and has several picnic spots.
Gate Times: Open daily from 07:00 to 16:30.
Things to do near
Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Four By Four Trails
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Henley on Klip (18.8 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Bass Lake Adventure 4x4 Trail is a self-drive route with a numbered system. The route is open 5 days per week but is heavily weather dependant. The trail is 14 km long and takes about 3 hours to complete. This is a natural trail with ascents and descents and water sections. There are escape routes available for difficult areas.
Permits for this trail can be purchased at the outdoor shop, where a map is provided. The trail is graded 4 and a low range, high clearance 4x4 vehicle is needed.
Casinos
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Brakpan (27.2 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Carnival City Casino and Entertainment World is one of the hottest gambling and entertainment playgrounds in Gauteng.World class entertainment and gaming facilities, two hotels, a plethora of restaurants and fun-filled family entertainment keeps the crowds coming back for more thrills!Jozi’s casino gaming space features no less than 1,750 gaming machines and sixty table games. Forming part of the Sun International Group, you can expect nothing less than the highest level of service and enjoy superior entertainment.The casino is best described as ‘a glittering festival for the senses, a thrill a second, a wonderland of games where fun comes in every shade of a neon rainbow!’
Golf Courses
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Alewynspoort (27.3 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Eye of Africa Golf & Residential Estate is proud to have opened the first Greg Norman designed golf course in South Africa.
Designed exclusively by Greg Norman Golf Course Design, this championship golf course at Eye of Africa seamlessly integrates the course with it's stunning natural surrounds.
This par 72 championship course spans over 6895 meters, set up to really challenge every golfer on the course and offer a true championship experience.
Th driving range and putting green are open from Tuesdays to Sundays.
Golf Courses
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Glenvista (30.1 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Located in a lovely setting between two peaceful suburbs, Glenvista Golf Course is considered a favorite among many golfers in the area.
This a full 18-hole course, complete with bent grass greens and superb facilities to match, such as a bar, board room, restaurant, pro shop, and a halfway house. There are practice areas available for chipping, as well as golf carts and club hire.
Visitors are welcome throughout the week, except Saturdays.
The course is closed on Mondays.
Nature Reserves
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Kibler Park (32 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Do more with your Sundays. Everyone is welcome to come along every Sunday and paint at the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve. Bring your friends and family, unwind, have a picnic and paint your masterpiece.
No previous art experience is needed. A professional art instructor will be there to guide painters through the creative process, ensuring everyone leaves with a work of art. Cost is R100 per person.
Golf Courses
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Benoni (34.5 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) The Benoni Lake Country Club & Golf Course is a 18-hole, par-72 parkland-style golf course. The two nines are separated by a road, with the second nine constructed next to a lake, making the 15th to 18th holes a good challenge.
Shopping Malls
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Bedfordview (35.5 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Bedford provides an unrivalled shopping, dining and entertainment experience. With 170 chic stores, numerous heavy weight restaurants, two cinema houses and ample safe parking, you can enjoy effortless, sophisticated shopping at its best.
Galleries and Museums
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Vereeniging (36.2 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Vereeniging is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning.
It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.
Casinos
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Ormonde (36.9 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Gold Reef City Casino has a variety of superb restaurants along with unique entertainment. From the renowned Back O' The Moon restaurant and jazz bar, to Italian cuisine and Mediterranean magic, there is excellent variety to choose from. Carnivores won't find better value than Boston BBQ's incredible buffet dishes and the new Maestro Restaurant has a menu that offers something for everyone.In addition to the restaurants, there are a number of coffee shops and a Food Court with fast food outlets. You won't be hungry!
Shops
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Johannesburg (37 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Art on Main is Johannesburg's leading design and food complex, set in the prestigious Arts on Main complex which houses some of Johannesburg's leading galleries and artist studios.
A must see to experience the inner city rejuvenation of Johannesburg. Stroll through the many art studios and take a look at some of the best local retail goods South Africa has to offer. Visitors can also grab a bite at the Canteen Restaurant. The weekly Market on Main offers delicious market food. Picnic under the olive trees while enjoying Ethiopian, Moroccan, Chinese, Italian and Indian Food. Don't miss the bunny chows, boerie rolls and snoek on roosterbrood. These typical South African dishes will make sure you leave with a real flavor of what South Africa has to offer. Open every Sunday from 10:00 to 15:00, and every first Thursday of the month from 19:00 till 23:00.
Galleries and Museums
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Ormonde (37.1 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) The Globe Theatre offers a variety of entertaining musical variety shows and comedy. The cosy and informal environment provides cocktail seating, a full-service bar and an appetizing menu of light food and drink.Boasting a colourful past, Jozi's original Globe Theatre opened in the early 1890s and was renamed the Empire Palace of Varieties. For a while it hosted the first moving picture shows in South Africa. Gandhi launched his campaign of ‘passive resistance’ here in 1907. The present day Globe Theatre is a replica of the original erected at Gold Reef City.
Galleries and Museums
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Ormonde (37.1 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Jozi’s magnificent world-class theatre always ensures that vistors receive a warm welcome when walking through the door.With its posh furnishings and luxuriant atmosphere, this lavishly styled 1 100-seat theatre recalls the opulence of the world's great opera houses.The Lyric is regarded as one of Jozi's top entertainment venues, presenting superlative Broadway and West End productions, local and international musicians, ballet, comedy and numerous shows. Tickets for all shows are available at Computicket or The Lyric Theatre Box Office on +27 (0)11 248 5168 ⁄ 5229 ⁄ 5000.
Galleries and Museums
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Ormonde (37.3 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Prepare to be deeply moved and overwhelmed by the striking Apartheid Museum. Situated opposite Gold Reef City, this interactive museum graphically testifies to the horrors and downfall of the Apartheid regime through extensive multi-media exhibits.Anyone who grew up during the Apartheid era should make their pilgrimage for this uncensored look at government-endorsed racism. On view is the footage that people around the globe were able to view except South Africans themselves. And if you were lucky enough to be born since democracy reshaped our nation, then this is a great resource to understand how we became a unity.Visitors are welcome to make a recording of their experiences under Apartheid or donate items such as photos and passbooks that are now deemed ‘artefacts’. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
Shopping Malls
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Bedfordview (37.4 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Africa's Greatest Shopping AdventureEastgate Shopping Centre is situated in the suburb of Bedfordview, on a prime site on the major freeway between Johannesburg International Airport and Johannesburg City Centre. Easily accessible from the high way, this super regional shopping centre is home to over 280 stores catering for all tastes and lifestyles. This ultimate shopping destination offers an out of this world retail experience, attracting an abundance of local and international shoppers. In addition to numerous smaller speciality stores, Eastgate is anchored by South Africa’s leading major retailers, including Checkers Hyper, Game, Edgars, Stuttafords and Woolworths.A large Ster Kinekor Cinema complex and a host of restaurants situated in an open air piazza area, make Eastgate the ideal venue of choice for the entire family. Eastgate’s evolution as a trend setting destination continues with the introduction of its high fashion quarter and action wear zone. “Eastgate offers everything for everyone, from popular brands, amazing Friday night entertainment and loads of fun for the entire family”. Eastgate Shopping Centre... Africa’s Greatest Shopping Adventure.
Sports Stadiums Clubs
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Johannesburg (37.5 km from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve) Situated in the heart of Jozi, Coca-Cola Park was the leading venue for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup with the opening ceremony and final game taking place there. And in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Coca-Cola Park hosted five first round matches, a second round match and one of the quarter-finals.
Home turf of the Golden Lions, Super 14, Lions, Orlando Pirates Football Club and also the premier concert event in South Africa, Coca-Cola Park was formerly known as Ellis Park Stadium. In 1995 rugby fever hit the country with South Africa's hosting of the Rugby World Cup, the biggest event on the global rugby calendar.
Coca-Cola Park was the venue for the Rugby World Cup Final which was played on 24 June 1995. In this spectacular final, New Zealand and South Africa ran onto the field at 14:45 to a thunderous roar of 62 000 spectators and millions of spectators glued in front of their televisions. South Africa won this game 15-12 after extra time was allowed. Coca-Cola Park and the quality of rugby it represents became the symbol of South Africa's achievement as a nation united.